Mine Dewatering Studies at Jwaneng Open Pit （珠瓦纳露天矿山排水研究）.pdfVIP

Mine Dewatering Studies at Jwaneng Open Pit Diamond Mine - Botswana Benjamin Mafa Debswana Diamond Mining Company – Jwaneng Mine Mining Department – Geotech. Private Bag 02, Jwaneng, Botswana bmafa@debswana.bw, tel/fax: +267 5884139/+267 5888075 Abstract The geological environment at Jwaneng Mine in Botswana is characterized by a complex faulting system that preceded the emplacement of kimberlite into the Transvaal sedimentary sequence. Mine dewatering studies at Jwaneng have previously focused on identifying water bearing structures on the faulting systems that transgress the current mine pit excavations and also on the hypothesis that dolomites occurring at depths in excess of 350 m are karstified. New information from the ongoing drilling program however suggests that the Jwaneng fractures associated with the faulting system may be dry. All boreholes that intersected dolomite at depth showed no evidence of karstification. The only evidence of seepage during the dry season is confined to the south sector of the open pit where the seepage face is as high as 150 m. Coincident with this phenomenon is the water bearing zone of over-break investigation borehole that yields approximately 2 m3/h drained off by gravity. This borehole also happens to be the only yielding borehole out of the seven that were drilled to investigate the spatial extent of the stress relief relaxed zone resulting from open pit excavation. The only dewatering borehole for the mine, GH03, is also located more or less in the south sector of the mine pit. The Jwaneng (Mine) Resources Evaluation Project (JREP) boreholes have intersected high total dissolved solids (TDS) water on the kimberlite – country rock contact, particularly in the same area where evidence of seepage is prevalent.